I’ve been meaning to make this simple dish for a while now, a whole head of cauliflower roasted with just salt and butter. Michael Ruhlman has a an easy recipe on his website for using a oven-safe pan for the roasting. You could just as easily use another type of roasting tray, but this method enables you to baste the cauliflower in the butter, adding additional flavor.
While this recipe is simple, it does take about an hour and a half, so live yourself some time to start this while you prepare the rest of your meal. Cauliflower is a great vegetable, but often is served in boring ways, just steamed or even boiled. The best flavor is achieved when it gets browned and fork tender.
Here is the recipe, courtesy of Michael Ruhlman.
Ingredients
1 cauliflower
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 ounces butter, at room temperature or softened
kosher salt
Preheat your oven to 425˚F
Cut the stem off the cauliflower as close to the base as possible and remove all the leaves, using a paring knife if necessary.
Rub oil all over the cauliflower.
Put the cauliflower in an oven-proof skillet (In my case, i broke the cauliflower into about 4 large pieces). Place the pan into the oven and roast the cauliflower for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and rub with the soft butter over the surface. Sprinkle with a four-finger pinch of salt. Roast the cauliflower for another 30 to 45 minutes, basting it several times with the butter, which will have browned. It should be completely tender when a fork or knife is inserted.
